Blackburn College Baseball begins their 2023 season this Saturday. The Beavers return an all-conference player to their lineup with the addition of several newcomers that could prove to be a threat on the diamond for opposing teams. After heavy practice and training throughout the past few weeks, it's safe to say that Blackburn is ready to be back on the field again.
After a disappointing end to their conference games in 2022, the Beavers ended their season on a high note with a comeback win over Illinois Wesleyan. Heavy recruiting through the offseason gave Blackburn several new faces to replace the bats that they lost in their lineup, while also returning a handful of offensive threats.
Most notably is returning outfielder Adam Holm. Holm led the SLIAC in batting average last season, finishing with an astounding .418 average. He also tallied four home runs with 27 RBI last season. He was selected to the SLIAC All-Conference 2nd team after last season and was the team-voted MVP by the Beavers. Holm was also named to the 2nd Team All-Region by the ABCA. The senior scored 41 runs and hit 15 doubles last season, both of which were just two shy of the school record.
Other returners include sophomore infielder Andrew Lozano and sophomore catcher RJ Arredondo. Both Lozano and Arredondo proved to be effective bats in the lineup during their freshman season. Lozano finished with a .298 average while Arredondo recorded a .287 average. Lozano hit three home runs last season and Arredondo was the team-voted Newcomer of the Year.
On the defensive side, Blackburn is also returning key pitchers to their rotation. Seniors Jason Hedges and Skyler McManus both contributed to Blackburn's pitching effort last season, and they'll be seeing plenty of time on the mount again this season. Hedges had 33 innings pitched last season, and McManus made seven appearances for the Beavers. Sophomore Alex Coffman will be returning to the Blackburn pitching staff as well. He recorded 48.1 innings pitched last season, which was second on the team.
Newcomers for the Beavers include Isaac Gleaves (Murfreesboro, Tennesse), Andrew Garza (Austin, Texas), Ashton Harvey (Coal City, Illinois), and Pedro Medina (Houston, Texas).
The Beavers will head to Carbondale on Friday to begin their 2023 season. Unfortunately due to inclement weather, Blackburn will not hit the field until Saturday morning when they take on Dubuque. The game will start at 11:00 a.m.
To view the SLIAC Baseball Poll, visit the link below